Nikos is disgruntled. His best friend is ill, so Nikos has to play alone. Even worse, his mother has cooked his least favourite food for lunch. While he is grumbling, Nikos is astonished to see a pretty girl miraculously appear in the kitchen. It is Daphne, or Laurel, the plant whose leaves are used to flavour the lentil dish he so detests. She takes the reluctant hero down a hollow tree in the garden next door that leads to the centre of the earth and a whirlwind adventure that will test both his courage and willpower and broaden his horizons. On the way he meets a huge cast of characters, from Myrsini the Myrtle, who runs a magical laboratory to Mitsos Skordatos, the tough-talking garlic. Seeking the promised treasure, Nikos overcomes his fears and learns to care a little for others and for the world around him. For children of nine and ove